Horse farm owners say 'Nay' to Coastal Connector routes

Carlos E. Medina @OcalaStarBanner

Tuesday

May 1, 2018 at 8:06 PMMay 2, 2018 at 7:57 AM

The northern section of the road would cut right through prime horse country and dozens of farms.

Billed as the answer to ease the strain on existing major highways, the proposed Coastal Connector is causing some Marion County horse farm owners their own fits of stress after the state unveiled the proposed routes for the road.

The northern section of the road would cut right through prime horse country and dozens of farms.

Fred Brei's Jacks or Better Farm in Reddick is right in the middle of the most northern route of the road, which would exit onto U.S. 441 near County Road 329.

"I think it's crap," said Brei, who's not one to sugarcoat his words.

"That's my house, that's my barns. I'm left with a strip on one side that backs up to a damn superhighway on one side and a strip of land that backs up to a superhighway on the other side," Brei said while pointing at the path of the proposed route known as "Option 1."

Just up the road, George and Karen Russell's Rustlewood Farm would face a similar fate.

"Out by us, there are all these signs saying, 'Welcome to Farmland Preservation Area,' so we're going to bring a new road right through it?" asked Karen Russell.

In 2004, the county adopted the designation of land in the northwest area of the county. It limited the amount of development that could occur, among other things.

The proposed routes also would impact some bigger horse farms as well, including billionaire John Malone's Bridlewood Farm, which is off County Road 326. Part of the farm would butt up against one of the routes.

Live Oak Plantation, the 4,500-acre farm owned by Campbell Soup heiress Charlotte Weber, would get cut in two by one of the routes.

The plan is in its earliest stages and the current study is only gathering public input. The highway would connect north Central Florida with the Tampa area and run through Citrus and Marion County. The new road, likely a toll road, would reduce the strain on Interstate 75 with the goal of keeping up with growth and improving transportation and future emergency evacuations.

The project is decades from fruition with no construction expected before 2045, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

The road would connect State Road 589 (Suncoast Parkway) — which is now set to end at State Road 44 in Citrus County — to Interstate 75 and U.S. 441 in Marion County.

While five different routes sprout off the SR 589 start, they meet again at U.S. 27 near Fellowship and west of Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club. The road would continue north and would either follow the current path of State Road 326 east to U.S. 441 or would continue north and exit just south of the U.S. 441/U.S. 301 split near County Road 329. The more northerly route would not mirror an existing road and would need a new interchange at I-75.

"It's a long way off. But you got to be here and voice your opinion," said George Russell.

Brei agreed.

"This is the time to get it stopped. No question about it," he said.

Lonnie Powell, executive vice president and CEO of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association, said the industry group will make its case against the routes that would hurt the horse industry.

"I think the overriding message that we will be sending to elected officials and anyone involved in the project is that this is a $3 billion industry with 27,000-plus jobs, the majority of those located here in Marion County. We get that we need some type of alternative route, but we don't think it should be to the detriment of farms large and small," Powell said.

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